


Just Like Two Characters in a Book

by InTheShadows



Series: Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020 [4]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Amputee Bucky Barnes, Book Lover Loki (Marvel), Bookstore Employee Bucky Barnes, Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Don't copy to another site, M/M, Oblivious Bucky Barnes, Pre-Slash, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28411611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InTheShadows/pseuds/InTheShadows
Summary: Bucky fights to keep his smile to appropriate levels as his favorite customer walks through the door. Keep it cool, keep it smooth. No need to make things creepy or weird. Just because he has a massive crush on Loki doesn't mean anything will come of it. Loki is way out his league. He knows it. He just - can't help himself sometimes. Loki is just so pretty and so smart and - ugh! Bucky is so screwed.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Loki
Series: Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2080815
Comments: 6
Kudos: 82
Collections: Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020, OneShotFavorites





	Just Like Two Characters in a Book

**Author's Note:**

> For my Buck Barnes Bingo 2020 B4/AU:bookstore  
> What's this? A story without Tony Stark in it? The world really is coming to an end.

The bell above the door rings and Bucky looks up to see his favorite customer walking in. He ducks his head down to get his smile under control before the other can notice how ridiculously wide it is. 

“Hey there sweet thing, back for more?” Smooth Barnes, real smooth. 

Loki raises an eyebrow at him. “As ever,” he nods before disappearing into the stacks. 

Once he is out of view Bucky slumps down with a sigh. Strike out once again. Why can he never seem to get it right with him? He can flirt and charm and smile until the sun goes down, but then when it really matters - disaster. Ugh. Why is he  _ always _ such a disaster? Why can’t he get it right, just once?

Not that Loki has ever complained about him - not that he knows of. And he keeps coming back week after week. That has to count for something, right? But while Loki has never complained, he’s never responded either. He’s always been unfailingly polite and nothing else. If the dictionary had a picture next to the definition of ‘cool, calm and collected’ it would show Loki. As for his inevitable return - well. He obviously loves books. He’s always buying something and basically all of the conversations they have ever had revolve around books. This isn’t a chain so the store has more freedom on what it can stock. Obviously Loki likes the selection. 

Pathetic. He should give it up, he really should, but he can’t help himself. Everytime Loki walks through the door Bucky is like a dog seeing his favorite person. Pathetic  _ and _ predictable. 

It’s not even that Loki is handsome, which he is. He is the most gorgeous person Bucky has seen in a long time. But he’s also funny - snarky and sassy and sharp as a pin. He’s smart too, far smarter than Bucky is. He knew that almost immediately, after just one conversation. He had Bucky completely entranced from start to finish. 

From brains to beauty, Loki has it all. And Bucky - well. Bucky used to be good at this. He remembers it vividly. There was a time when he could have swept Loki off of his feet. But then there was the car crash and the coma and everything went to hell. When he woke up he was down one arm, one year and a whole lot of everything else. 

He’s recovered from that now, mostly. Enough to at least pretend that he is back to normal. That everything is fine. Enough to fake it - hence the flirting when it never matters. But he knows himself well enough to know that Loki is far,  _ far _ out of his league now. 

He’s an employee at a hole in the wall bookstore with almost no social life to speak of besides his best friend and his cat. Loki is - well -  _ Loki _ . No he doesn’t know much about him besides his taste in books, but facts are facts. And the facts are that Bucky has nothing of real substance to offer anyone, let alone him. Pathetic, predictable  _ and _ true. 

So he forces his thoughts away from impossible things to his actual job. 

He is startled, then, by the sound of books being dropped into the counter. He looks up to see Loki staring back at him expectantly. A blush heats his cheek. “Find everything you were looking for?” he asks, trying to sound casual. 

“Yes,” Loki nods, “Thank you.” 

Bucky can’t help noticing Loki’s selection. Of course he can’t. He has to ring them up after all. But he’s a bit more attentive then needed. “Couldn’t resist?” He knows for a fact that Loki already owns the Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

“My oaf of a brother ruined my last set,” he huffs.

“And what of his did you ruin in return?” Of the brother he knows about, if only because Loki has complained about him before. 

“Now that would be telling.” His smile is as sharp as glass. 

Bucky leans in. “I can keep a secret.” Then he winks because he is weak. And an idiot. And he can’t help himself. 

“While I am sure that you possess many talents I do believe I will keep this to myself.”

“Ah,” Bucky nods, “a man of many secrets.” 

“Of course. One must not give them all away at once. How else are you to keep a person interested in you? One must keep an aura of mystery about them.” 

Oh darling, there’s no need to worry about that becoming a problem. Fortunately he manages to keep that particular though inside his head. His humiliation would be complete if he ever let that slip. Oh boy is he too far gone. Pathetic, predictable, true  _ and _ ridiculous. Really. 

Time to move on. “So did you enjoy The Bear and the Nightingale?” There, a much safer topic. Bucky can’t mess it up - too badly. 

“I did. I have already read the sequel as well. It is a shame that the third book is not out for some months yet.” 

Bucky makes a mental note to make sure it gets ordered, just in case. 

“As well did I enjoy The Six of Crows. I do applaud your excellent taste.”

In books. He applauds Bucky’s excellent taste  _ in books _ . The last two words of the sentence never come. A bit odd, but then isn’t everyone? It is clear that is what he meant. “Well if you’d like another rec I think you’d like Vicious by V.E. Schwab. Seems like your kind of story.” 

Loki hums.”I see. And tell me, what is more to your taste - coffee or tea?” 

The question is enough to make Bucky look up in surprise. What? That’s definitely more personal than they’ve ever talked about, even if it isn’t that personal at all. Odd is right. “Huh?” 

“Do you prefer coffee or tea?” Loki repeats. 

Yeah, still odd, but whatever. He can roll with it. “Coffee usually,” he shrugs, “I have to be in the right mood for tea.” 

“I see,” Loki repeats, “Would you be so inclined if I asked you to accompany me to a cafe then? I assure you that it serves both.” 

All Bucky can do is blink at him, taken completely and utterly off guard. “To talk about books?” Because that is the only thing that makes sense to him. 

“Among other things,” Loki agrees. 

And Bucky - Bucky is definitely missing something here. “Now?” 

“When your shift ends if you are amenable. If not I am sure we can agree on another time.” 

And yup, he is most definitely missing something. Normally Loki is formal, but not  _ that _ formal. Would he seem stupid if he asked? “Sure, I’m always up for a good book discussion.” He agrees because he may be stupid, but he isn’t dumb. Like hell he is going to turn this opportunity down. 

That must be the wrong answer though, somehow, because Loki doesn’t seem excited about it. That is enough to make him panic. What if Loki regrets this already. He blurts out the first thing that comes into his head. “Has anyone ever told you that you sound like Shakespeare?” 

“It has been mentioned once or twice,” Loki answers dryly, “Oftentimes in the accompaniment of a bad joke.” 

Oh god.  _ Oh god _ . Why is Bucky such a disaster? Why can’t the ground swallow him up and put him out of his misery? “I like it,” he reassures, probably a little too loudly and a little too quickly. There is definitely too much panic in his voice. 

Loki stares at Bucky before he sighs. “Tell me, are you this oblivious or are you simply not interested? If it is the latter I will stop wasting your time.”

Interested?  _ Interested _ ? What the hell kind of question is  _ that _ ? “Wait - you mean that - like a  _ date _ ? An actual date? With  _ me _ ?” Has he entered some alternate universe when he wasn’t looking? 

“Is there another kind of date? Or anyone else here to talk to for that matter?” 

It’s confirmed, Bucky is an  _ idiot _ . “No?” 

“I worry that that sounded like a question and not an answer. Is this a sign that I should leave?” 

Bucky shakes his head so hard that some of his hair falls out of his bun. “I think you’re really pretty,” he blurts out tactlessly As per usual it seems today. 

That is enough to make Loki seemingly freeze. “Oh?” 

Apparently that is enough encouragement for Bucky’s mouth, if not the rest of him. “Really pretty and really smart and I know I’m a disaster, but please don’t leave. I’d love to go on a date with you. Multiple dates. As many as you’d like because I never thought I’d have the chance and that you’re out of my league and oh god, I’ll shut up now.” His face  _ burns _ . 

Loki smiles then. Really smiles, enough to light up his entire face. 

Bucky may or may not whimper at the sight. Now  _ that _ is the most gorgeous thing he has ever seen. Loki is beautiful when he smiles. 

“Is that so?” he murmurs softly, smile not fading at all, “In that case,” he reaches out and tucks a strand of Bucky’s hair behind his ear, “I have been accused, once or twice, of being too prickly for my own good. However I can assure you that it is not always the case.” His fingertips skim Bucky’s cheek. 

Bucky dies, just a little bit, inside. His skin burns where Loki touches him. It’s a good thing he is leaning against the counter because otherwise his legs might not hold him up. 

“I have also won many Shakespeare competitions. If you would like I can show the trophies to you sometime. In my bedroom.” The last is added pointedly, accompanied with a raised eyebrow. 

This is the point where everything finally sinks in. Loki - is asking  _ him _ \- on a  _ date _ . He is  _ interested _ \- in  _ Bucky _ \- and wants him in his  _ bedroom _ . Then he promptly begins grinning like a loon and doesn’t care one bit. “My shift ends at four.”

“Excellent. I will see you then.” With one last caress Loki walks out, purchase in hand. 

Pathetic, predictable, true, ridiculous  _ and _ ridiculously lucky. So very lucky.  _ Hell yeah _ . Four o clock can’t come soon enough. 

**Author's Note:**

> In case anyone is wondering my method to choosing the book titles I have in this fic, they were the ones closest to where I was sitting at the time that I thought Loki might like. (And yes, I do rec them too.)


End file.
